Supergirl: "Truth, Justice, and the American Way"Review

“Truth, Justice, and the American Way,” as its name implies, explores the moral compass of Supergirl and the lengths she’s willing to go to save the world. It’s by far the series’ most thematically complex and compelling episode to date, with storylines running parallel to one another that culminate in what is perhaps the most important lesson that Kara has yet learned: that “there’s always another way,” as she so astutely observes in the concluding scene.

The primary threat deals with a Fort Rozz guard called the Master Jailer that’s run amok delivering a severe brand of justice to the escaped Rozz inmates, Judge Dredd-style. While his visual design recalls that of Dredd and his ethics would make Frank Castle smile, the character serves his purpose well in forcing Kara to confront the question that looms over the episode: when does “doing what’s right” become wrong?

The conflict arises as James airs his grievances about the DEO holding Maxwell Lord against his will and without deferring to the justice system. It’s a simple but effective nod to the clear delineation between right and wrong that James no doubt picked up from Kara’s cousin. The critical scene between the two, with James questioning Kara’s notions of truth and justice, is well-acted by both performers and is by far the best scene the pair have shared.

On the flip side, James has to deal with an ethical dilemma of his own: when does a journalist owe it to the public – and to themselves – to move on a story that could have huge ramifications? In one of the greatest scenes in this episode, Cat reveals a moving story about her early days as a reporter, choosing to be influenced by a PR person and opt for a fluff piece about an abusive actor rather than write the truth, ultimately resulting in an innocent woman’s death. It’s a great moment that not only proves a point to James but also sheds some serious light on Cat’s character and her commitment to the truth. It’s simple and poignant, and adds a layer to Cat’s role in the show – an unlikely guiding light of morals and ethics – that is beneficial.

The mid-episode battle between Supergirl and Master Jailer is ambitious -- I expected nothing less considering “Truth, Justice, and the American Way” was directed by the action-oriented Lexi Alexander -- but the budget clearly holds it back. Alexander shoots for dynamic angles and a melee style that we haven’t seen on this show, but unfortunately most of it turns out looking cheap, using editing to hide its shortcomings. More damaging is the unclear power level of Master Jailer. He faces off with Supergirl early on, but later Alex is able to go toe-to-toe with him no problem during the DEO rescue of Kara. It was odd and distracting, but I still enjoyed Master Jailer overall as an adversary thematically if not physically.

There was solid undercurrent of tension throughout the episode that was effective, more than making up for any disappointment in the action. Kara’s blame of J’onn for the death of Astra is complicated and I’m enjoying the threat of a wedge being driven between Kara and Alex once Kara discovers the truth. Even better is the great scene where Non asks Kara to officiate Astra’s funeral as per Kryptonian tradition before telling her that the next coffin will be hers. I love seeing the Kryptonians dealing with the hard disparity between their own personal goals and the loyalty to their people.

A subplot introducing Siobhan Smythe – the future Silver Banshee – as Cat’s new assistant added some spice to Kara’s life at CatCo (though Winn had nothing to do here). Siobhan was an enjoyable addition and I was thankful that they didn’t try to seed her villainous future right away. The previous introduction of Livewire suffered a bit from doing the entire story all in one episode, so stretching Silver Banshee to multiple parts should prove beneficial.

There were a couple of small annoyances throughout, however: Prisoner-2445 screwing up “Earth-isms” was a joke that never landed despite being tried multiple times, the reveal of the Master Jailer’s identity was predictable, and Maxwell Lord remained insufferable. Also, Lord states that the threat of mutual destruction between the DEO and himself makes him long for the Cold War. Unless a ten-year-old Max Lord was super invested in global politics, it’s quite a stretch.

The Verdict

“Truth, Justice, and the American Way” is a thematically confident episode that tackles one of the major themes of the Superman mythos – one not so subtly displayed in its title. It’s deftly written (Cold War line aside) and makes sure that all of the elements tie together to result in the most important lesson Kara has ever learned. While Lexi Alexander’s direction is ambitious, the budgetary restraints are a burden. Still, despite a few shortcomings here and there, this episode is Supergirl at its best.

Great

Supergirl explores “Truth, Justice, and the American Way” in a standout episode.